Photolithographic masks and devices fabricated therefrom

Abstract

Mask devices for photolithography used in semiconductor and other device fabrication are described. For example, a mask device includes a light-passing substrate and a patterned opaque layer disposed on the light-passing substrate. The patterned opaque layer includes a light-modulating region with elongate features consecutively disposed at increasing distances from one another.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mask device, comprising:
 a light-passing substrate; and   a patterned opaque layer disposed on the light-passing substrate, wherein the patterned opaque layer comprises a light-modulating region with elongate features consecutively disposed at increasing distances from one another.   
     
     
         2 . The mask device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the elongate features corresponds to an opaque area of the patterned opaque layer. 
     
     
         3 . The mask device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the elongate features corresponds to an open area of the patterned opaque layer. 
     
     
         4 . The mask device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the elongate features further comprises:
 a first feature portion extending in a first dimension of a feature area;   a second feature portion extending in a second dimension of the feature area; and   a corner feature portion disposed between the first feature portion and the second feature portion.   
     
     
         5 . The mask device of  claim 4 , wherein the corner feature portion comprises a rounded corner. 
     
     
         6 . The mask device of  claim 4 , wherein the corner feature portion comprises a squared corner. 
     
     
         7 . The mask device of  claim 4 , wherein each of the elongate features further comprises:
 a third feature portion extending parallel to the first feature portion; and   another corner feature portion disposed between the third feature portion and the second feature portion.   
     
     
         8 . The mask device of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the elongate features have a width that is different than a width of one or more of the other elongate features. 
     
     
         9 . The mask device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one pair of the elongate features has a non-uniform pitch therebetween. 
     
     
         10 . The mask device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the light-passing substrate comprises a material including at least one of quartz, fused silica, and glass; and   opaque areas of the patterned opaque layer comprise a material including at least one of chrome, chromium, and metal oxide.   
     
     
         11 . A method of fabricating a mask device, comprising:
 forming an opaque layer on a light-passing substrate; and   applying a mask pattern to the opaque layer to form a patterned opaque layer comprising a light-modulating region with elongate features consecutively disposed at increasing distances from one another.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each of the elongate features corresponds to an opaque area of the patterned opaque layer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each of the elongate features corresponds to an open area of the patterned opaque layer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein applying the mask pattern to the opaque layer further comprises inputting the mask pattern to a pattern applying tool. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein applying the mask pattern to the opaque layer further comprises writing the mask pattern onto the opaque layer using the pattern applying tool. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each of the elongate features is formed to further comprise:
 a first feature portion extending in a first dimension of a feature area;   a second feature portion extending in a second dimension of the feature area; and   a corner feature portion disposed between the first feature portion and the second feature portion.   
     
     
         17 . A semiconductor device, comprising:
 a substrate; and   at least one layer disposed in relation to the substrate, wherein the at least one layer comprises a structure with at least one rounded portion having a non-segmented contour.   
     
     
         18 . The semiconductor device of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a source, a drain, and a gate disposed in relation to the layer;   wherein the structure with at least one rounded portion having a non-segmented contour comprises a sloped sidewall of a dielectric region configured for a field plate disposed between the source and the drain.   
     
     
         19 . The semiconductor device of  claim 17 , wherein the structure with at least one rounded portion having a non-segmented contour comprises a sloped sidewall configured for one or more contacts associated with one or more layers of a capacitor stack. 
     
     
         20 . The semiconductor device of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a source, a drain, a gate disposed in relation to the layer;   wherein the structure with at least one rounded portion having a non-segmented contour comprises a sloped sidewall of an isolation region configured to enable at least a portion of the gate disposed there above to function as a field plate.